Wafer container with constraints

ABSTRACT

A wafer container includes a container body with an opening on one side, and the inside with slots for placing the wafers. The door joined with the opening of the container body to protect the wafer therein, the characteristic in that: two rows of the plurality of wafer restraint components with a spaced at interval is located on the inner surface of the door and adjacent to the central of the door, in which the each wafer restraint component includes a base portion, which one end is fixed on the inner surface of the door, and another end is joined with a bent arm. The bent arm includes a first contact head and a second contact head to restrict the wafer moving toward the opening of the door.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is related to a front opening unified pod (FOUP), more particularly to the wafer container with the wafer restraint modules. The wafer restraint having a plurality of contact heads to restrict the wafer from moving.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The semiconductor wafers are transferred to different stations to apply the various processes in the required equipments. A sealed container is provided for automatic transfer to prevent the pollution. FIG. 1 shows the views of wafer container of the conventional prior art. The wafer container is a front opening unified pod (FOUP) which includes a container body 10 and a door 20. The container body 10 is disposed a plurality of slots for placing the plurality of wafers, and an opening 12 is located on the sidewall of the container body 10 for loading or unloading. Further, the door 20 includes an outer surface 21 and an inner surface 22, in which the door 20 is joined the opening 12 of the container body 10 to protect the plurality of wafers within the container body 10. Furthermore, at least one latch component 23 is disposed on the outer surface 21 of the door 20 for opening or closing the wafer container. According to aforementioned, due to the wafer is placed in the container body 10 in horizontal, thus, the FOUP needs a wafer restraint component to avoid from movement during the wafer transportation. FIG. 2 is a view of a front opening unified pod (FOUP) as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,268. As shown in FIG. 2, the inner surface 22 of the door 20 is disposed with a recess 24 and the recess 24 is extended from the top 221 of the inner surface 22 to the bottom 222, and is located between two locking components 230 (inside of the door 200). The wafer restraint module (not shown) further includes the recess 24, in which the wafer restraint module consists two wafer restraint components 100, and each wafer restraint component 100 includes a plurality of wafer contact heads 110 to sustain the wafers, so as to prevent the wafer from the movement toward the door opening due to the wafer transportation procedure. However, the wafer restraint module is disposed on the recess 24 of the inner surface 22 of the door 20, and the wafer merely is attached to the inner surface 22 of the door 20 or the wafer is partially settled down within the recess 24. The wafers either sit adjacent to the inner surface 22 of the door 20 or only slightly enter into the recess 24. As resulted, the wafers do not securely and fully settle into the recess 24 in order to effectively shorten the length between the front side and the back side of the FOUP. In addition, the tiny dust particles are generated due to the friction between the wafer restraint module and the wafers can be easily accumulated in the recess 24. In the process of cleaning the accumulated dust particles, it is necessary to separate the wafer restraint module from the recess 24 on the inner surface 22 of the door 20. By frequently separation and assembly of the wafer restraint module due to the cleaning process, the wafer restraint module is easily slackened.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the drawbacks of the aforementioned, one objective of the present invention is thus to provide a wafer container with wafer restraint modules, which is disposed on the inner surface of the door and adjacent two sides of central of door, in which each wafer restraint includes a plurality of contact head to restrict the wafer from moving toward the opening of the wafer container and toward the two sides of the opening. As results, the tiny dust particles can be prevented formed from the friction between the wafer and the wafer restraint component to contaminate.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a wafer container with wafer restraint module, where the wafer restraint module is disposed on the two sides of the inner surface of the door and adjacent to the two sides of the central of the door. Each wafer restraint component includes a plurality of contact heads to contact the wafer sequentially, thereby, the contact heads can sustain the wafer to restrict the tiny dust particles are formed from the friction between the wafer and the wafer restraint component to contaminate the wafers.

Still another objective of present invention is to provide a wafer container with a wafer restraint component. The wafer restraint component is located on the inner surface of the door and adjacent to the two sides of the central of the door, in which the wafer restraint component is integrated with the inner surface of the door. Thus, the structure of the wafer container is simple and has lower manufacturing cost.

According to above objectives, the present invention provides a wafer container with a wafer restraint module, which includes a container body, and a door. The inner surface of the container body includes a plurality of slots for sustain a plurality of wafers therein; a side-wall of the container body includes an opening for exporting or importing the plurality of wafers; a plurality of restraint components with a spaced at interval is located on the inner surface of the door and adjacent to the central of the door, in which each wafer restraint component includes a base portion, which one end of the base portion is fixed on the inner surface of the door, and anther end is joined with the bent arm. The bent arm includes a first contact head and a second contact head which are provided for the wafer restraint component to restrict the wafer from moving toward the opening and two sides of the opening of the door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the wafer container of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the wafer restraint component of the prior art;

FIG. 3 is a view of the wafer container of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a view of the wafer restraint component contacted the wafer container of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a view of the wafer restraint component restricts the wafer of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view of the another wafer container of second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6A is a view of the wafer restraint component contacted the wafer container of the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6B is a view of the wafer restraint component restricts the wafer of the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view of the wafer container of the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8A is a view of the wafer restraint component contacted the wafer container of the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8B is a view of the wafer restraint component restricts the wafer of the of the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a view of the wafer restraint component fixed on the door of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a view of the wafer restraint component of the third embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 3 shows a view of the wafer container of the first embodiment. The wafer container is a front opening unified pod (FOUP) which includes a container body 10 and a door 20. A plurality of slots 11 is disposed in the inside of the container body 10 to place a plurality of wafers therein, and an opening is located on one of sidewalls of the container body 10 that is provided for loading or exporting a plurality of wafers or importing a plurality of wafers. The door 20 includes an outer surface 21 and an inner surface 22, in which at least one latch component (not shown) is disposed on the outer surface 21 for opening or closing the front opening unified pod. Two rows of wafer restraint modules 400 is disposed on the inner surface 22 of the door 20 and adjacent to the central portion of the door 20, and each wafer restraint module 400 consists of a plurality of wafer restraint components with a spaced at interval. Each wafer restraint component 40 is aligned and adjacent to the each wafer restraint component 40 of the wafer restraint module 40.

Referring to FIG. 4 and according to abovementioned, each wafer restraint component 40 of the plurality of wafer restraint components 40 includes a base portion 41, which one end of the base portion 41 is fixed on the inner surface 22 of the door 20, and another end of the base portion 41 is joined with a bent arm 42, in which the bent arm 42 includes a first contact head 43 and a second contact head 44. Each wafer restraint component 40 can be formed as an elastic integrated structure (such as thermoplastic elastomer). Before the door 20 joined with the container 10, a connecting line for the first contact head 43 and the second contact head 44 of the wafer restraint component 40 is paralleled the inner surface 22 of the door 20. When the wafer is contacted the first contact head 43 to deform the base portion 41 to lever the bent arm 42, so that second contact head 44 of the bent arm 42 is contacted sequentially. Referring to FIG. 4B, an included angle is formed on the connecting line which is located between the first contact head 43 and the second contact head 44 and the inner surface 22 of the door 20. Obviously, the wafer restraint component 40 contacted the wafer via two contact heads, which can restrict the wafer from moving toward the central of the opening of the door 20 and toward the two sides of the opening of the door 20.

The base portion 41 of the wafer restraint component 40 and the bent arm 42 of the abovementioned can be made of two different materials or different elastic structures (such as thermoplastic elastomer), for example, the plastic with different hardness. Thus, the deformation of the base portion 41 is formed easily, and the bent arm 42 is difficult being deformed. With such, the one-half portion of the wafer restraint component 40 can provide a fine deformation, and another half can provide a lever bent arm 42. Not only the material of the wafer restraint component 40 or base portion 41 of the wafer restraint component 40 is an elasticity structure (such as thermoplastic elastomer) which is provided for deforming, so that the first contact head 43 and the second contact head 44 are contacted the wafer sequentially, but also the elasticity structure is capability of shockproof to prevent the wafer from moving toward the opening of the container body 10. Also, the base portion 41 includes at least one curved portion, which the angle of the curved portion would be changed to drive the movement of the bent arm 42 to cause the second contact head 44 is contacted the wafer when the wafer is contacted the first contact head 43. The first contact head 43 and the second contact head 44 also include a recess which is provided for fall within the wafer to restrict the wafer from moving. The plurality of wafer restraint components 40 can form as pedestal which is fixed on the inner surface 20 of the door 20. Alternatively, the plurality of wafer restraint components 40 is integrated with the inner surface 22 of the door 20, thus, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

FIG. 5 shows view of a second wafer container of the present invention. The structure of the wafer container is similar to the wafer container of the first embodiment according to aforementioned. The wafer container includes a container body 10 and a door 20. The different between the first embodiment and the second embodiment is that the wafer restraint component of the wafer restraint module 500 includes three contact heads, in which the wafer restraint component is fixed on the two sides of the central portion of the inner surface 22 of the door 20.

As shown in FIG. 6A, each wafer restraint component 50 includes a base portion 51, which one end is fixed on the inner surface 22 of the door 20, and another end of the base portion 51 is joined with the first bent arm 52 which includes two free-ends, in which the one free-end is located adjacent to said central portion and is formed as a first contact head 54, and another free-end is located far away from the central portion and is joined with the second bent arm 53. The second bent arm 53 includes a second contact head 55 and a third contact head 56. In this embodiment, the material, structural, and the action of the structure are similar to aforementioned. Before the door 20 joined with the container body 10, a connecting line (54-55-56) for the first contact head 54, the second contact head 55, and the third contact head 56 is paralleled the inner surface 22 of the door 20. Meanwhile, when the wafer is contacted the first contact head 54, the base portion 51 would be deformed to drive the movement of first bent arm 52 and the second bent arm 53, so that the second contact head 55 and the third contact head 56 of the second bent arm 53 are contacted the wafer sequentially. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 6B, the door 20 is joined with the container body 10 and the first contact head 54, an included angle is located between the connecting line for the second contact head 55, and the third contact head 56 and the inner surface 22 of the door 20. Obviously, due to each wafer restraint component 50 provides the contact head for the wafer to restrict the wafer from moving toward the center of the opening or toward the two sides of the opening. In addition, a pivot 57 is located in the middle of the two free-ends of the first bent arm 52 and adjacent to one side of the inner surface 22 of the door 20, thereby, the pivot 57 is fixed on the inner surface 22 of the door 20. When the base portion 51 is deformed to lever the movement of the first bent arm 52 and the second bent arm 53, and the first contact head 54, the second contact head 55, and the third contact head 56 is contacted the wafer tightly. As aforementioned, each wafer restraint component 50 of the plurality of wafer restraint component 50 is an integrated structure with elasticity (such as thermoplastic elastomer). The base portion 51 and the first bent arm 52 or second bent arm 53 are made of different material or different elasticity structure (such as thermoplastic elastomer), for example, the plastic material with different hardness. Thus, the base portion 51 can be deformed easily, but the deformation is difficult to the bent arms. The first contact head 54, the second contact head 55, and the third contact head 56 also include a recess to fall within the wafer to prevent the wafer from moving. In addition, the plurality of wafer restraint components 50 is formed on the pedestal, which is fixed on the inner surface 22 of the door 20 or the plurality of wafer restraint component 50 is integrated with the inner surface 22 of the door 20 directly.

Then, FIG. 7 shows a view of the wafer container of third embodiment of the present invention. The inner surface 22 of the door 20 is arranged a restraint module 600 and adjacent to the center of the inner surface 22 of the door 20. The restraint module 600 consists a plurality of wafer restraint components 60 with a spaced at interval. As shown in FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, each wafer restraint component 60 of the plurality of wafer restraint components 60 is ability of elasticity. When the wafer is contacted the wafer restraint component 60 (as shown in FIG. 8A), the slightly area of the wafer restraint component 60 is contacted the wafer; after the door 20 is joined with the container body 10 (as shown in FIG. 8B), the wafer restraint component 60 is deformed to increase the contact area between the wafer and the wafer restraint component 60.

As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the plurality of wafer restraint components 60 with a spaced at interval is formed on the pedestal 61, so that a wafer restraint module 600 is formed. The pedestal 61 includes a plurality of snap holes 63, which includes a snap pillar 24 that is formed relate to the inner surface 22, so that the wafer restraint module 600 is snapped on the middle of the inner surface of the door 20. The center of the pedestal 61 includes a plurality of wafer restraint components 60 and a gap is formed in the middle of the wafer restraint components 60 so that the wafer restraint component 60 is corresponding to the wafer that is related to the container body 10. Each curved portion 62 is formed on two sides of the center of the pedestal 61, and a free-end of the curved portion 62 is formed as a semicircle-like protruding portion 62C, so that the guide notch 62G of the semicircle-like protruding portion 62C is contacted the wafer. The wear-resisting material (such as PEEK material) is coated on the contact portion between the guide notch 62G and the wafer to reduce the friction and the generation of the dust particles. Furthermore, the width of the guide notch 62G is same as the thickness of the wafer to restrict the wafer from the moving and the wafer is full within the guide notch 62G. Obviously, an included angle θ is located between the pedestal 61 and the curved portion, in which the included angle θ is about 10 to 60 degree. When the included angle is smaller to increase the distance of the guide notch 62G, the wafer is moved toward the outside of the opening; when the included angle is larger, the wafer is moved toward the center of the opening.

While the invention has been described by way of examples and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. 

1. A wafer container including a container body that having a plurality of slots therein for placing a plurality of wafers; an opening, is formed on a sidewall of said wafer container for exporting said plurality of wafers or importing said plurality of wafers; and a door including an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein said inner surface of said door is joined with said opening of said container body for protecting said plurality of wafers therein, the characteristic in that: two rows of restraint modules are disposed on said inner surface of said door and adjacent to said central of said door, each restraint module consist a plurality of restraint components with a spaced at interval, and one restraint component aligned said restraint component of said restraint module, wherein each said restraint component includes a base portion, one end of said base portion is fixed on said inner surface of said door, and another end of said base portion is joined with a bent arm, and said bent arm includes a first contact head and a second contact head.
 2. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said restraint module is an integrated structure.
 3. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said restraint module is integrated with said inner surface of said door.
 4. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said restraint component is an integrated structure.
 5. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said restraint component is integrated with said inner surface of said door.
 6. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said restraint component is an elastic component.
 7. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said restraint component is a thermoplastic elastomer.
 8. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said base portion of said restraint component is an elastic component.
 9. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said base portion of said restraint component is a thermoplastic elastomer.
 10. The wafer container according to claim 1, where the material is different between said base portion of said restraint component and said bent arm.
 11. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein the plastic material is different between said base portion of said restraint and said bent arm.
 12. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said first contact head and said second contact head of said bent arm include a recess to restrict said wafer from moving.
 13. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein a connecting line between said first contact head and said second contact head is parallelled said inner surface of said door before said door joined with said container body.
 14. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein an included angle is formed between a connecting line of said first contact head and said second contact head and said inner surface of said door when said door in joined with said container body.
 15. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said base portion of said restraint component is curved so as to said first contact head and said second contact head contacted said wafer.
 16. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said wafer contacted said first contact head to deform said base portion so that said second contact head is contacted said wafer.
 17. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said wafer contacted said first contact head to doform said base portion and lever said bent arm so that said second contact head is contacted said wafer.
 18. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said base portion of said restraint component includes at least a curve portion.
 19. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said wafer contacted said first contact head to change said included angle of said curve portion of said base portion so that said second contact head is contacted said wafer.
 20. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said wafer contacted said first contact head to change said included angle of said curved portion of said base portion and lever said curved arm so that said second contact arm is contacted said wafer.
 21. The wafer container according to claim 1, wherein said outer door includes at least a latch component thereon.
 22. A wafer container including a container body that having a plurality of slots therein for placing a plurality of wafers; an opening, is formed on a sidewall of said wafer container for exporting said plurality of wafers or importing said plurality of wafers; and a door including an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein said inner surface of said door is joined with said opening of said container body for protecting said plurality of wafers therein, the characteristic in that: two row restraint modules are disposed on said inner surface of said door and adjacent to said central of said door, each restraint module consist a plurality of restraint components with a spaced at interval, and one restraint component aligned said restraint component of said restraint module, wherein each said restraint component includes a base portion, one end of said base portion is joined with a first bent arm and said first bent arm includes two free-ends, a first contact head is formed on one of two free-ends which is related to said inner surface of said door and adjacent to said central portion, and another free-end is related to said first contact head that is joined with a second bent arm, and said second bent arm includes a second contact head and a third contact head.
 23. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said first bent arm is located between said two free-ends and a pivot is formed and adjacent to a sidewall of said inner surface.
 24. The wafer container according to claim 23, wherein said pivot is fixed on said inner surface.
 25. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said restraint module is an integrated structure.
 26. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said restraint module is integrated with said inner surface of said door.
 27. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said restraint component is an integrated structure.
 28. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said restraint component is integrated with said inner surface of said door.
 29. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said restraint component is an elastic component.
 30. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said restraint component is a thermoplastic elastomer.
 31. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said base portion of said restraint component is an elastic component.
 32. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said base portion of said restraint component is a thermoplastic elastomer.
 33. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein the material is different between said base portion of said restraint component and said first bent arm.
 34. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein the material is different between said base portion of said restraint component and said second bent arm.
 35. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein the plastic material is different between said base portion of said restraint component and said first bent arm.
 36. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein the plastic material is different between said base portion of said restraint material and said second bent arm.
 37. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said first contact head, said second contact head, and said third contact head of said restraint component include a recess to restrict said wafer from moving.
 38. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein a connecting line between said first contact head, said second contact head, and said third contact head is parallelled said inner surface of said door before said door joined with said container body.
 39. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein an included angle is formed between a connecting line of said first contact head, said second contact head, and said third contact head and said inner surface of said door when said door joined with said container body.
 40. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said base portion of said restraint component is curved so as to said first contact head, said second contact head, and said third contact head contacted said wafer.
 41. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said wafer contacted said first contact head to deform said base portion, so that said second contact head and said third contact head is contacted said wafer.
 42. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said wafer contacted said first contact head to curve said base portion and lever said first bent arm and said second bent arm, so that said second contact head and said third contact head is contacted said wafer.
 43. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said base portion of said restraint component includes at least a curved portion.
 44. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said wafer is contacted said first contact head to change said included angle of said curved portion of said base portion, so that said second contact head and said third contact head contacted said wafer.
 45. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said wafer contacted said first contact head to change said included angle of said curved portion of said base portion and lever said first bent arm and said second bent arm, so that said second contact head and said third contact head contacted said wafer.
 46. The wafer container according to claim 22, wherein said outer surface includes at least a latch component.
 47. A wafer container including a container body that having a plurality of slots therein for placing a plurality of wafers; an opening, is formed on a sidewall of said wafer container for exporting said plurality of wafers or importing said plurality of wafers; and a door including an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein said inner surface of said door is joined with said opening of said container body for protecting said plurality of wafers therein, the characteristic in that: a restraint module is located on said inner surface of said door and adjacent to a central portion of said door, and a plurality of restraint components with a spaced at interval is located on a central portion of said base portion, each curved portion are formed on a central portion of said base portion and toward two sides of said central portion, and a free-end of each said curved portion is formed a semicircle-like protruding portion to contact so as to a central portion of said semicircle-like protruding portion is contacted said wafers.
 48. The wafer container according to claim 47, wherein said wafer restraint module is an integrated structure.
 49. The wafer container according to claim 47, wherein said wafer restraint module is integrated with said inner surface of said door.
 50. The wafer container according to claim 47, wherein a wear-resisting material is located on the contact surface between said guide notch of said protruding portion and said wafer.
 51. The wafer container according to claim 50, wherein the material of said wear-resisting material is PEEK material.
 52. The wafer container according to claim 47, wherein the width of said guide notch of said protruding portion is same as the thickness of said wafer to restrict said wafer from moving.
 53. The wafer container according to claim 47, wherein an included angle is located between said base portion and said curve portion.
 54. The wafer container according to claim 53, wherein said included angle is about 10 to 60 degree.
 55. The wafer container according to claim 47, wherein said base portion of said restraint module includes a plurality of snap holes to snap said wafer restraint module on said inner surface of said door.
 56. The wafer container according to claim 55, wherein said inner surface of said door corresponding to said plurality of snap holes includes a snap pillar to wedge said wafer restraint module on said inner surface of said door.
 57. The wafer container according to claim 47, wherein said restraint component is ability of elasticity.
 58. The wafer container according to claim 47, wherein said outer surface includes at least a latch component. 